There’s been much written in the last week about Steve Kean’s departure from Ewood Park. You’ll be pleased to know there’s none of that here. He’s gone. Goodbye, good riddance and thanks for absolutely nothing.
So, where do we go from here? Firstly, it’s important to remember we’ve still got the same owners. They didn’t swing the axe – in fact, they were “disappointed” Kean left. But they’ve an opportunity now to start repairing the damage they’ve done in the last couple of years. Appoint the right man, let him get on with managing the club properly and lead us majestically back into the Premier League. Or, appoint someone else totally incapable of doing the job and see how quickly the “Venky’s out” cries begin again.
The fans have an important role to play now too. It’s fair to say Rovers fans haven’t got a great image in the game at the moment – not their fault, but that’s how it is. That’s why everyone needs to rally round and pull together and show a united front. Get the ground packed out and get behind the team. It’s a massive leap of faith, but Venky’s have to be given the chance to put things right. Do they deserve that chance? Never in a month of Sundays – but it’s got to be done. If they mess up the next appointment that’s a different story but, starting at home to Wolves tomorrow, the team needs backing 100% from start to finish. Show the doubters (some would say clowns in the case of a couple of Sky Sports pundits) how wrong they’ve been.
As for the new manager it appears the Rovers job isn’t the hot potato many would have you believe. Shearer, Sherwood, Keane, McCarthy, Solskjaer, Schuster and Hitzfeld aren’t exactly the worst collection of names you could have linked to the post. You’d be hard pushed to imagine anyone doing a worse job than Kean, but whoever is appointed needs backing to the hilt. There’s been calls to bring in someone experienced, while others argue we need someone on the up and up. Both arguments have their merits, but if you pushed me for a choice it’d have to be Solskjaer. Unlike Kean he’s able to do the whole “here’s my medals” thing and already has experience under his belt.
Whoever gets the job it’s imperative they’re not another “yes man” with no tactical nous. It needs to be someone who, when they speak, doesn’t give the impression they’ve just watched a different game from the rest of us. Lastly, it needs to be someone who doesn’t treat the fans with contempt. It’s not too much to ask but it has to happen or the small window of opportunity given to Venky’s will shut faster than you can say “Kean’s on the dole.”